Genjitsushugisha no Oukokukaizouki - Volume 19 - Chapter SS1

Side Story 2: The Little Musashibo Power-Up Plan

Before total war broke out between the Maritime Alliance and the Great Tiger Empire, an incident occurred in Genia’s dungeon laboratory near Parnam.

“It’s time for Genia!”

“And Merula’s!”

““Let’s remodel!””

The two leaders of the Kingdom of Friedonia’s technological development, Genia M. Arcs, the overscientist, and Merula Merlin, the high elf, announced cheerfully. However, this was followed by Merula giving Genia a cold stare.

“Do we really need to start like this every time?” Merula asked.

“You say that, but you’re used to it by now, aren’t you, Merumeru?” Genia replied with a grin.

“I only do it because if I don’t, you can’t get into the mood, and our efficiency drops. And don’t call me Merumeru,” Merula retorted.

“I haven’t heard that comeback in a while,” Genia said, still enjoying herself.

“You’re a married woman now. Why don’t you settle down a bit?”

“What’s that? You want to hear about my lovey-dovey married life with Big Brother Luu?” Genia teased.

“Nobody said that!” Merula exclaimed.

“So, you know how Big Brother Luu and I have a height difference, right? He’s always really careful with my body because of that. Like, when we’re doing it, he’ll be like, ‘Are you okay?’”

“I’m telling you, don’t blab about things nobody ever asked about!” Merula protested.

Genia hid her flushed cheeks behind the white sleeves of her lab coat, twisting in what might have been embarrassment, but Merula kept pushing back.

“Look! Your husband and keeper is blushing crimson!”

Upon further inspection, Ludwin, who was there to keep an eye on Genia, was covering his face. He must have been embarrassed to have her spill details about their romantic life in public like that. The poor guy...

“Sir Ludwin’s the only one here today, so go easy on him,” Merula chastised Genia.

“Huh? Now that you mention it, where is Sir Souji?” Genia asked.

“He’s coming up with countermeasures against the Orthodox Papal State with Mary.”

Merula’s guardian, Souji, wasn’t present today. He had been summoned by Souma to help prepare for the battle against the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State, which was expected to ally with the Great Tiger Empire. So, no matter how much psychological damage Ludwin experienced, no one was there to comfort him.

“Now then, setting aside Big Brother Luu...” Genia began.

“Hey, you should show more care for him,” Merula interrupted.

“Hmm? Okay, time for some more lovey-dovey stories from our home life—”

“Let’s move on,” Merula said, cutting her off. “So, we’re doing some remodeling instead of testing this time?”

Genia nodded. “Yep, let’s remodel. We’ve received a quest from His Majesty to remodel a certain something.”

“He did? Now that you mention it, you did have something, right?” Merula replied, noticing a covered object in front of them.

Genia placed her hand on the sheet covering it. “Yep. Here it is,” she said, pulling back the sheet.

“Huh? Isn’t this...?” Merula asked as Genia revealed a roly-poly kigurumi costume equipped like a monk soldier.

Was it the Marshmallow Man? Or Barbapapa? No, this kigurumi was the adventurer known as Little Musashibo.

“The king wants us to remodel this,” Genia explained.

“This thing? Does he want new armaments because there’s a war coming?” Merula wondered, recalling how they had modified Mechadra to counter a kaiju in the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago.

Genia shook her head. “Apparently not. They’re not going to use it in the war. He’s sending it to the world of the north.”

“The world of the north...by which you mean the Seadians’ homeland, right?”

“That’s the place. It hasn’t been made public yet, but the king plans to send an advance team of adventurers to the world of the north. He wants this kigurumi to go with them.”

Souma’s ability, Living Poltergeists, allowed him to imbue an object with his consciousness, enabling him to control it. If the object resembled a doll or some living creature, he could continue to control it without any range limitation. Taking advantage of this, he had used wooden mice to assist during the rescue operations after the disaster in the God-Protected Forest and had Little Musashibo act as an adventurer.

Merula brought her face close to the kigurumi and examined it closely. “Hmm... You know, he’s used some incredibly good materials to make this kigurumi. Probably from monsters or a dungeon.”

“Good eye. That’s the result of him generously spending the pocket money he hasn’t had time to use. He started making it blade-proof, shock-resistant, cold-proof, and acid-proof, and it’s turned out super tough as a result. I’ve tinkered with it myself and made it even stronger.”

“The dungeon materials were your handiwork, then...” Merula sighed. “But what are we supposed to remodel? You’ve probably fortified it in every way you can think of, right?”

“He wants to be able to communicate with it.”

“Ohh... So that’s the reason.”

That made sense to Merula. If Souma was going to use it in the northern world, it would need to communicate with the adventurers there. After all, this kigurumi suit couldn’t talk.

“Using this kigurumi, the king can gain an understanding of the situation, but he has no means to express his desires to the people who are there.”

“Yep,” Genia agreed. “The king says, ‘Juno is somehow able to understand me, even as a kigurumi, but I have no way of expressing myself to anyone else. I’d like some means of communication, even if it’s simple.’”

“Wait, why is that Juno girl able to communicate with him...?”

“Don’t ask me.” Genia waved the sleeves of her white coat as she spoke. “I think the fastest way would be to use the broadcast again, though.”

“That’s not realistic,” Merula said. “The broadcast requires equipment, and wouldn’t he only express himself as King Souma that way? Does he even have time to talk over the broadcast for every little thing?”

“Not with how he’s always swamped with work,” Genia replied, having already dismissed that idea from the beginning.

He was separating a portion of his consciousness into the kigurumi to explore the northern world on his behalf due to his busy schedule, so requiring his main body to participate would have defeated the purpose.

“So, the king asked me, ‘Couldn’t I communicate using handheld signs or something?’”

“I see. Using text to converse, huh? But why does he want to use signs?”

“Apparently, in his old world, there was a black-and-white bear that communicated that way. It was a fictional creature though.”

“What kind of bizarre animal is that...?”

Souma had been thinking of a panda character from an old romantic comedy manga he had read long ago, but Genia and Merula wouldn’t know about that. Even though it seemed like a silly idea, the geniuses considered it seriously.

“It should be possible to have the kigurumi write,” Genia said.

“Huh? With those ball-like hands?”

“No, no, not with the hands. We’ll install a Factory Arm.”

“Ohh, that creepy mechanical hand thing, huh?”

“What do you mean, creepy? That’s rude.”

The Factory Arm was a writing machine designed by Genia, which operated using Souma’s Living Poltergeists ability. It resembled a mannequin’s arm protruding from some machinery. Souma could maneuver the arm as if it were his own, but its humanlike appearance made people find it unsettling. (One of the maids who saw it had even fainted.) Nowadays, they intentionally stripped the arm down to make it look more distinctly mechanical.

Genia placed her hand against Little Musashibo’s ball-like one. “How about we have Factory Arms emerge from its hands?” she suggested.

“That sounds creepy,” Merula replied. “Why not have them come out of the basket on its back instead?”

The idea sparked excitement in Genia’s eyes. “Ooh! Just imagining it makes my heart race.”

“I don’t see what’s so exciting about it, but...I think having it do the writing inside the basket and then reveal the finished product would be better. However, the challenge lies in what it should write on.”

“If it writes on a handheld sign, it can’t erase it, and if it writes on paper and places that on the sign, that might be a waste of resources...”

“Ideally, we want it to be able to write and erase.”

“Oh! How about a blackboard? You can write on and erase those.”

“Yeah, I think that’s a good idea. If we attach a handle to a small blackboard, it’ll serve as a handheld sign. So, we’ll need a blackboard, chalk, and a chalk duster.”

As expected from the two leaders of the Kingdom’s technology division, they were able to foresee problems alongside solutions as they discussed the idea. They already had a rough framework for Little Musashibo’s communication functionality.

The two set to drafting the remodeling plan on paper.

“Hey, it may be a bit late to bring this up,” Merula suddenly said, stopping in the middle of her work.

“Hmm? What is it, Merumeru?”

“We clearly don’t have enough space in the basket. If it’s going to write, we’ll need two Factory Arms. Without one to hold the sign and another to hold the chalk, it’ll be inefficient, and there’s no way to fit everything into the basket.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Genia quickly agreed, almost disappointingly so. “There’s technically storage space inside the kigurumi, but if we put items in there, it might affect how the king controls it, so I’d prefer to leave it empty.”

“We don’t have nearly enough space. What do you plan to do?” Merula asked.

“I’ve already thought of a solution.” Genia smirked. “Just hold on a moment.”

With that, Genia turned and headed to a corner where research materials and prototypes were chaotically piled. She began digging through them.

“Let’s see... I know I tossed that item the king left with me over here... Huh? Where did it go?”

Genia continued rummaging, muttering worriedly about losing something the king had entrusted to her until...

“Oh! Found it!” Genia lifted the object above her head, and her smile made it feel like a “you got an item” jingle was about to play. “The ‘Hero’s Sack.’”

“Ohh, that thing.”

Merula clapped her hands together as she pieced it together. The Hero’s Sack had been used by the first King of Elfrieden, who was reputed to have been a hero summoned from the same world as Souma. Although it looked like an ordinary sack, it was, in fact, a relic of overscience that could hold far more than its appearance suggested. In short, it was a one-of-a-kind artifact.

“Huh? You’re planning to use that?” Merula blinked in surprise.

While placing the Hero’s Sack in the basket would solve their storage issue, it raised concerns about whether it was appropriate for a kigurumi to carry a national treasure. Genia, however, seemed unconcerned.

“The king left it with me, and I’m using it for his sake, so I don’t see the problem,” she stated confidently.

“You’re really something, y’know that...? Ah!”

Out of the corner of her eye, Merula noticed Ludwin hurrying out of the room. He was surely going to report this to Souma. It was likely less about seeking permission for Genia’s sake and more about asking, “My Genia is about to do something outlandish; do you want me to stop her?”

As for Genia herself...

“Here’s hoping the king is okay with it,” she sighed.

She was taking it easy and showed no concern for the pain in Ludwin’s stomach. Fortunately, Souma approved with surprising ease, and that was how Little Musashibo gained a new method of communication.

◇ ◇ ◇

Later, in the world of the north, after the world had been reorganized...

Totter, totter, totter...

Silly footsteps echoed across the dry land.

Totter, totter—STOMP, STOMP, STOMP, STOMP!!!

Then came a rumbling so loud that it drowned out those footsteps.

The footsteps belonged to Little Musashibo, while the stomping was caused by a massive, boarlike creature that was currently chasing him. This creature stood on two legs, resembling a tyrannosaurus in body, but with only its head resembling a boar’s, complete with fangs and a piglike snout. The locals called this enormous creature, which had never been discovered in the southern hemisphere, a “sauroboar.”

The sauroboar’s body was covered in lacerations, with throwing knives embedded in it, indicating a long battle. Its eyes burned with rage.

As he ran for his life, Little Musashibo held up a sign that read, “Help!”

Then...

“Mister! Over here!”

Juno poked her head out from behind some rocks, beckoning him to hurry.

Little Musashibo raised a sign that said “Roger!” and made a sudden turn, diving into the rocks where Juno had retreated. The sauroboar, intent on its pursuit, ran past them before turning to follow into the rocks.

It was a narrow path, lower than the surrounding area, yet still wide enough for the sauroboar to pass through without issue. As it moved, it spotted Little Musashibo and Juno fleeing on the other side.

“Grrrrrrr...”

This time, it wouldn’t let them escape. With a threatening growl, the sauroboar charged forward, ready to attack them, but then...

Clunk! Whoosh!

“Bwarfah?!”

Suddenly, the ground gave way beneath the sauroboar. The hole was only about half the creature’s height, but given its massive size, the sudden trip strained its ankles. The sauroboar struggled, unable to climb out of the hole due to the pain.

“Now! Everyone get in there!”

“Yeah!”

“Right!”

“Got it!”

Dece, Augus, Febral, and Julia, who had all been hiding in the elevated terrain above the narrow path, launched a coordinated attack on the sauroboar. The creature had already exhausted itself during the earlier battle, and their combined effort was slowing its movements even more.

“You’re finished!”

Crack! Augus leapt down from the heights, delivering a punch to the sauroboar’s forehead as he fell. The impact sent the creature reeling, its eyes rolling back in its head.

“Grr...fss...”

Finally, the sauroboar ran out of strength and collapsed.

“Aw, yeah! We finally downed it!” Augus flexed his arms as Dece and the others gathered around.

“Finally...” said Dece. “I know we kind of expected it, but many creatures in this world are powerful.”

“And according to the researchers, this sauroboar is just a wild animal, not even a monster,” added Febral. “If it can put up this much of a fight, then we really can’t afford to underestimate the natural world up here in the north.”

“It took us half a day to beat it, after all,” Julia agreed.

All three of them let out sighs of relief.

They had encountered the sauroboar in the early morning, and it was almost evening now. Its incredible toughness had forced them to retreat temporarily several times, taking breaks before resuming the battle. Then, when the sauroboar looked exhausted, they lured it into the trap that Juno had prepared and quickly finished it off.

“Oh! Looks like they managed to beat it.”

“Good work.”

Juno and Little Musashibo rejoined the others. Dece greeted them with a smile.

“Nicely done, you two. That was some top-class decoy work, Mister.”

“You can count on me,” read the sign that Little Musashibo held up.

“Uh, right,” Dece said, slightly taken aback.

“It’s easier to communicate with him now, but I still can’t get used to it,” Augus grumbled, earning nods of agreement from Julia and Febral.

“But before, only Juno could understand him. We should be glad the situation has improved,” Julia said.

“It’s still a mystery how Juno could understand him,” Febral added. “But seeing that basket the signs come out of, along with the arms inside it, he certainly is a man of many mysteries.”

“Well, the biggest mystery is who’s inside,” Augus said. “Do you know, Juno?”

Suddenly put on the spot, Juno looked away awkwardly. “Um, uh, nope! I don’t know either! No clue who could be in there!”

“You sure? You sound pretty suspicious.” Augus was unconvinced.

“I mean it. For real. Right, Mister?”

On cue, Little Musashibo held up a sign that read, “The only things inside of me are hopes and dreams. You shouldn’t be asking such boorish questions.”

“Hrmm... I’m getting kind of pissed off,” Augus grumbled.

“Now, now. There are certainly a lot of people with unknown backgrounds in this world,” Febral said, trying to calm Augus down. “Many of the adventurers who’ve arrived recently wear masks or full-face helmets to hide their identities.”

“Ooh, I know what that’s about,” Dece replied. “Now that peace has come to the southern world, those who still want to fight have come up here for a fresh start. But because they rebelled against the system down there, many of them can’t show their faces...or something like that.”

Febral nodded. “Yeah, there are people presumed dead in the other world who are hiding their backgrounds and carrying on as adventurers here. Or so I’ve heard...”

“Hmm? So is that this guy’s deal too?” Augus asked, patting Little Musashibo on the head.

“What kind of nonsense are you talking about?” Juno kicked him in the backside.

“Ouch! What do you think you’re doing?” Augus exclaimed as he rubbed his aching rear.

Juno snorted while Augus complained.

“He is who he is. We’ve been working together for a long time now. That should be good enough,” she declared.

“Hee hee. That’s true. He’s someone you trust, after all, Juno,” Julia added.

With Julia taking Juno’s side, Augus sighed and said, “F-Fine,” backing down.

After giving a wry smile at their behavior, Dece clapped his hands together. “Now, let’s strip the materials that’ll serve as evidence of the kill before it gets dark. Oh, and Febral, make a note of this spot so we can report it to the guild.”

“Understood,” Febral replied.

“Okay, let’s finish this up and head back. And then...it’s time for a feast to celebrate another quest completed!” Dece said enthusiastically.

““““Yeah!”””” the entire party cheered, and Little Musashibo joined in, holding up a sign that said, “Yeah!”